Effects of training about academic accommodations on perceptions and intentions of health science faculty

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, one out of 12 children and teenagers (ages 5 to 20) living in the United States has a physical or mental disability. This statistic indicates that the number of students requiring academic accommodations in postsecondary education will continue to grow throughout the next decade. The literature suggests that faculty who are not well informed on how to provide reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities may develop negative attitudes that create additional barriers for these students. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether training faculty about academic accommodations affected their willingness to provide academic accommodations to students with disabilities. In order to evaluate this question, a faculty-training workshop was developed and conducted. Participants were faculty at a midwestern U.S. university in the College of Associated Health Careers who elected to participate in a 4-hour training session on providing academic accommodations to students with disabilities. The results of the study suggest that both knowledge and attitudes (willingness, perceptions, and intentions) of faculty improved as a result of the intervention, which in turn can have a positive impact on students enrolled in their courses. This article describes the training methods used in the training workshop and the methods participants identified as making the most impact on their intentions, perceptions, and willingness to provide academic accommodations.